Oversight
Whistleblower report about waste leads to downsizing at one agency, OSC reports
The Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals increased staffing to deal with a backlog of appeals, but an individual flagged that the expanded workforce was not readjusted when case levels returned to normal, resulting in about $30 million in unnecessary costs.
Management
5 guardrails federal agencies need before the next emergency loan program
COMMENTARY | Congress can authorize speed, but accountable structures must be in place before the next emergency loan program begins.
Defense
Why the US went to war without a plan to evacuate DOD civilians, contractors, and others
A diplomatic veteran cites operational secrecy—and describes how things might have gone better.
Management
GSA head questioned about agency’s involvement in acquiring space for detaining migrants
The administrator also addressed an agreement with Pakistan to redevelop a New York City hotel as well as the maintenance backlog for federal buildings.
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Pay & Benefits
A year after the Social Security Fairness Act, some retirees are still waiting for full benefits
The repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset should have restored benefits for everyone. For some retirees, the checks are still coming late or not at all.
Updated
Management
Noem fired from DHS amid agency shutdown, Trump taps Mullin as successor
The controversial Homeland Security leader will end her tenure amid a budget shutdown of her agency and following bipartisan criticism in both houses of Congress.
Workforce
Continuing to shed federal workers remains ‘priority number one,’ White House official says
OMB deputy suggests that making it easier to fire feds will ‘liberate’ them to do their jobs better.
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Management
The ‘new’ Policy/Career Schedule does NOT (necessarily) politicize the federal workforce
COMMENTARY | The Policy/Career Schedule may not be Trump 1.0's Schedule F, but there are guardrails that can allay some fears about its implications.
FEATURED INSIGHTS
Updated
Management
OPM proposes new layoff rules emphasizing performance and reducing employee protections
Since a draft of the new policy began circulating last fall, federal regulators expanded those excluded from agency reduction in force rules to include all career federal workers in the government’s excepted service.
Workforce
After shedding 25,000 employees, IRS chief says his agency now has perfect staffing level
The tax agency’s CEO criticized his predecessors for staffing up without justification, though he noted he has not conducted workforce analysis either.
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Workforce
Report: Nearly 95k science employees left government as Trump downsized agency workforces
The Trump administration also has cut spending on science contracts and grants.
TSP TICKER
FUND
G
F
C
S
I
MAR 05 CLOSE
$19.7352
$21.0841
$109.5032
$102.4059
$58.6577
DAILY CHANGE
0.0022
-0.0517
-0.6179
-1.3730
-0.5355
THIS MONTH (%)
0.06
-0.85
-0.68
-1.47
-5.91
FUND
L 2070
L 2060
L 2050
L 2040
L 2030
L INCOME
MAR 05 CLOSE
$12.9847
$21.9107
$42.3915
$69.0563
$59.0578
$29.5942
DAILY CHANGE
-0.1013
-0.1708
-0.2790
-0.3992
-0.2701
-0.0656
THIS MONTH (%)
-2.60
-2.60
-2.20
-1.93
-1.53
-0.73
FUND
MAR 05
CLOSE
CLOSE
DAILY
CHANGE
CHANGE
THIS
MONTH
MONTH
G
$19.7352
0.0022
0.06
F
$21.0841
-0.0517
-0.85
C
$109.5032
-0.6179
-0.68
S
$102.4059
-1.3730
-1.47
I
$58.6577
-0.5355
-5.91
L 2070
$12.9847
-0.1013
-2.60
L 2060
$21.9107
-0.1708
-2.60
L 2050
$42.3915
-0.2790
-2.20
L 2040
$69.0563
-0.3992
-1.93
L 2030
$59.0578
-0.2701
-1.53
L INCOME
$29.5942
-0.0656
-0.73
Management
Kristi Noem misled Congress about top aide’s role in DHS contracts
Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Noem denied that Corey Lewandowski had any role in approving contracts. But internal DHS records and interviews with current and former agency staffers contradict her testimony.
Updated
Pay & Benefits
House Dems want to know why retirees aren’t getting physical tax documents from OPM
Nine House members inquired about reports that constituents have not received physical copies of their 1099-R forms and have had difficulty contacting the federal HR agency to request them.
Workforce
DOJ contradicts FEMA on who approved mass firings
"I don't have a great explanation for that," a DOJ lawyer says when asked to clarify in court.
Workforce
NTEU chief stands firm as agencies seek to terminate contracts
Doreen Greenwald said her union will continue to demand compliance with its collective bargaining agreements in face of a renewed push to excise labor groups from most federal agencies.
Oversight
Homeland Security Department is stonewalling watchdog investigations, GOP senator alleges
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said that he would procedurally obstruct the legislative process until officials respond to his questions about department oversight.
Management
After a lawsuit, USDA agrees to share climate risk data with farmers
Now, even if the webpages come down again, the data can remain public.
Management
LGBTQ data is disappearing under Trump, reports find
Government agencies have gotten rid of gender identity and sexual orientation data elements from over 360 data collections over the last year.
Updated
Workforce
‘They are America’: Photographer spotlights civil servants who have lost their jobs under Trump
Retired lawyer Allan Dinkoff has documented 65 ex-feds for his photography project “Targeted: Portraits of Civil Servants Under Trump.”
Management
Congress searches for shutdown off-ramp as DHS employees start missing pay
Republican leaders hope a new vote this week, and pressure from war in Iran, will help spur a breakthrough on DHS funding.
Pay & Benefits
Most TSP funds were flat in February
Only the Thrift Savings Plan’s international fund saw growth in excess of 2% last month.
Defense
Fake DOD memo about ‘compromised’ apps shows swift spread of deceptive messaging
The message, widely circulated as the U.S. bombed Iran, shows how quickly unverified information can reach troops.
Management
How federal HR modernization can better serve employees
COMMENTARY | OPM’s Federal HR 2.0 consolidates systems, but without connected workflows and AI-driven experiences agencies may still see the same old results.
